Choosing Your Guinea Pigs

    Hmm, should you get an American guinea pig? Or an Abyssinian? Two girls, or two boys? Black and white or maybe brown? How old should you get them at? And which is better, 2 or 3 guinea pigs? We'll help you make your decisions, in this post. 

    For Gender

    You should probably get either 2 girls (sows), or 2 boy (boars) guinea pigs. Unless you want a bunch of tiny piggies running around, it's best to stick with these pairs. Never get 2 girls, 1 boy or 2 boys, 1 girl. Or just one guinea pig. Boys tend to fight more than girls, though. But females are sometimes louder. At this point, it's a matter of preference. 

For Breed

    The most common guinea pig is the American guinea pig. This is what you're most likely to find in pet stores/shelters. American guinea pigs are smooth, willing, and kind (sometimes grumpy). This is what breed Pebbles is. The second most common guinea pig breed is the Abyssinian guinea pig. Abyssinian guinea pigs are fluffy, shy, curious and friendly (sometimes skittish). This is what breed Trixie is. There are many other guinea pig breeds as well, but these are the ones you are most likely to find in pet stores/shelters. 

For Color

    This is, of course, a matter of preference. Some people believe guinea pig that are brown or black are more friendly, but these are all either opinions or myths. You can get whatever color guinea pig you want. I love, for instance, multi-colored guinea pigs. But many people prefer solid colored guinea pigs. 

For Age

    The pet store Petco sells guinea pig aged 2-4 months. The pet store PetSmart, however, sells guinea pigs aged about 1 year or older. Pet shelters sell guinea pigs aged over 1 1/2 years, but some may be babies. If you want to have your guinea pigs for the maximum amount of time, get them younger. Younger guinea pigs are shyer, more skittish. But know that they will grow into more kind, friendly and curious pigs with time. 

For The Number

    Well, as you know, you NEED to get two guinea pigs, regardless of what the pet store/shelter people tell you. Many people end up getting 3 guinea pigs, either all girls or all boys. In my opinion, the more guinea pigs, the better! But if you're not too sure, or if you are getting your first pet, get 2. Two guinea pigs are (technically) easy to take care of, and are better than getting 3 or 4 and then not knowing how to properly care for them. 

    If you want to know more about how I chose my guinea pigs, please see the post, The First Day: The First Day

    I hope you enjoyed this post, and that it was helpful! Remember to subscribe to be the first one to know when a new post comes out! Bye!